In Love, Life and Death prt 1
by Anonymous Donor
Summary: I late night meeting brings the five together forever as friends and brothers. Years later they receive shocking news that will tear them apart. What is so terrible that it could rip these five away from each other- and themselves. (VERY DEPRESSING)(1xS
1. Default Chapter

In Love, Life and Death  
  
By Anonymous Donor  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of it, not even the title. The title is from a friend of mine. Thanks, babe, I stole it! ^_^  
  
Pairings: 1xS, 3x4, 5xC (weird, I know.)  
  
Warnings: Death, angsty, depressing  
  
Dedication: To all the people who know what it's like to go through this on either side. May you live forever in our minds.  
  
AD's note: Hey, I got this idea after a long trip, so be warned. My muse likes to inspire me while I'm in a bad mood. Bad Kawaii-Baka, no biscuit!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
**AC 195, right before the fall of the White Fang.**  
  
The four youths slipped into the candle lit room, eyeing the darkness warily. The last of them was not there.  
  
"Heero, why did you call this meeting?" a voice finally called out softly in the dreary room. Heero shook his head.  
  
"I didn't call the meeting Quatre. I don't know who did," Heero answered stonily. This was taking away from good hacking time and it annoyed him, yet at the same time, he felt something very important was about to happen.  
  
"I called it," the voice of the fifth and final pilot said as the black clad figure closed the door and bolted it, leaving the rest with bewildered looks on their faces. Never had they heard such a tone from Duo.  
  
"Maxwell, what are we doing in this dark, damp, not to mention cold room?" the Chinese boy asked irritably, rubbing his eyes. He had been roused from a very comfortable sleep and was getting near glaring daggers at the braided pilot. Duo nodded to the five candles that had been set up in the middle of the room, motioning for them to take a seat in between them. Duo sat, taking the last remaining spot, staring anxiously at the others.  
  
"This past year," he began in a tone that was a complete opposite of his usually cheerful tone. It had a somber, almost dirge like ring to it. ".we've gotten close, very close," he continued. "You guys are my only family, and I want it to stay that way," he told them quietly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his pocket knife. Quatre stared back at him.  
  
"Yes, Duo, we all feel that way, but you know what war can do." he said softly as the others, even Heero and Wufei, nodded. Duo nodded also.  
  
"Of course I do, Quatre, better than most, but that's why I wanted you guys here now," he said, looking back at Quatre, blue-violet eyes shimmering. He opened the knife and cut shallowly into his hand, letting the crimson liquid that emerged pool in his palm. Wufei stared with amazement. "I want to make a pact, sealed with blood- our blood." He heated the blade and held it out. "Will anyone else do the same?" After a moment of no one moving, Heero slowly reached out and took the blade, doing similar damage to his hand, heated the blade and passed it on to Trowa, then Trowa to Wufei and finally to Quatre. The young braided man held his hand up, palm out to the middle of the circle of people and candles. Soon, they all had their palms pressed together, blood joining and dripping to the floor in a small red pool. Duo smiled.  
  
"We take care of each other, watch each other's backs, forever now. We're brothers, friend and confidantes from now on. In love, life and death.."  
  
**AC 199 Christmas, three years after Marimeia had been taken down.**  
  
Heero sat at the Preventer's party, huddled in a corner. He'd been away from battle for a while, but he still didn't like people all that much. He only went to these social events for Sally. He sighed as he gazed over the room, watching the people drinking and getting drunk, and so on and so forth. He hadn't heard from anyone but Quatre and Trowa lately, Quatre always keeping contact and up to dates of life with the Winner corporation. Wufei was with Catherine at the Beijing sector of the preventers, a proud father to be. Duo, however, had stopped writing and calling two months ago. Heero wasn't bothered. The young braided ex-pilot had been working hard to rebuild the church that had been demolished by soldiers.  
  
"Mr. Yuy?" Heero looked over at a young girl and nodded. She swallowed and handed him a small sheet of paper. "I was asked to give this to you. They said it was important." she told him before bowing and scurrying quickly away. He rolled his eyes and unfolded the small sheet of paper. It was from Trowa and Quatre. Heero blinked as he looked at it. He had never had anything sent to him that was written by Trowa. He read the note, then read it again. The paper floated down to the floor as Heero bolted over to Sally and gave her a kiss and a promise to contact her soon. She watched as the young man sped from the room. She walked to where he had been standing and picked up the paper, reading it quickly.  
  
"Heero,  
  
Please come to the L2-53427 hospital immediately. Duo's in trouble. We all need to be here.  
  
1 Trowa and Quatre"  
  
She shook her head. "Oh, no."  
  
**Hospital waiting room on L2-53427.**  
  
Heero stepped into the sterilized white room, looking around. He hated hospitals. He had too many memories of them and he didn't want to be here now, but if what the letter said was true, he needed to be here.  
  
"Yuy." Heero's head shot in the direction of the voice and he found himself staring right at Trowa. Or a reasonable facsimile of him. The young man in front of him looked tired and worn out, eyes red and blood shot. He looked older, but there was no doubt in his mind that this was in fact Trowa.  
  
"Barton," he acknowledged, then looked around. "Why did you call me here? What's happened?" he asked calmly, even though his insides were jumping. Without another word, Trowa led him to a room, solemn, white and unhappy. As the door opened, Heero looked in and saw the blonde Arab sitting and holding the hand of a thing and pale young man with a long chestnut braid. The once cherubic face smiled up at him, and Heero didn't want to believe that this, this white, frail looking body was that of his best friend from days past. But the blue violet eyes in front of him told him that it was. Those unmistakable purplish orbs that still sparkled like they always had. Heero hadn't even felt himself move, but he was now at Duo's side, sitting in a high backed, uncomfortable chair.  
  
"Hey, Hee-chan," Duo said, his voice stronger than his body looked, the smile still there. Heero sighed at the nickname.  
  
"How many times have I told you not to call me that, baka?" Heero said, but it was less of a scolding and more of relief. He smiled slightly at the young man, then his face turned serious again. "Duo. What happened to you?" Duo shook his head.  
  
"No, no, no. Not until the final arrival gets here." Just as Duo said that, they all heard cursing in Chinese and an irate voice yelling at someone.  
  
"WOMAN!!! GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! I AM NOT A BUM!" When they heard this, Duo laughed softly and Trowa stepped out of the room to escort Wufei in. Wufei was still muttering and cursing as he made his way in. It was no wonder they thought he was a transient there for free hand outs. He was in a ragged, but clean, pair of pants and his old blue tank top. Heero hadn't even bothered to change out of the uniform he was in. Wufei also looked astonished at the way Duo looked. "Maxwell, what the hell happened to you?" he asked gently. Duo rolled his eyes.  
  
"Well, gee, hello to you too, Wu-man. What a nice greeting." Wufei bowed slightly.  
  
"Sorry. Hello, Duo," he said with a bit of irritation in his voice. Quatre cleared his throat softly. He was still the ever polite young man.  
  
"Um, Duo. Why don't you tell them now?" he urged gently. Duo sighed and shrugged, but with a slight smile.  
  
"Alright, but there isn't much to tell, really," he said in a casual voice as if it were nothing at all. "Heero, Wufei, I'm dying."  
  
~*~*~*~*TBC*~*~*~*~  
  
AD's note: Hey people! Kind of depressing, ne? Did you like it? Should I continue it? I probably will anyway even if people don't like it. Feedback, please? 


	2. In Love, Life and Death part 2

In Love, Life and Death part 2  
  
By Anonymous Donor  
  
AD's note: Hey, loyal readers! Thanks for all the reviews of the first chapter. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Since you seemed to like it, I decided to continue it. All the ratings and such are the same from the prologue. It's gonna be kind of depressing, but you'll understand.  
  
Still dedicated to those that have had to go through this on either side of the line.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Heero, Wufei, I'm dying."  
  
Two sets of eyes burned into Duo, while two more burned holes in the floor. Heero and Wufei were speechless for a long, long moment.  
  
".Why? How? What's wrong with you? Maxwell, if you're just jerking my chain, there's going to be hell to pay." Wufei shot out quietly. Duo looked at him with all the seriousness that he'd ever possessed.  
  
"Fei, I wouldn't make this up, now would I? I don't know why, and I don't know how, but I've got multiple myeloma. (1) It's inoperable," he said calmly as if it were no big deal that this disease had taken over his body and turned his youth into nothing more than a skeleton whiter then the bed sheets. Wufei slumped against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.  
  
"When did you find out about this?" Heero said, finally speaking up. Duo sighed softly.  
  
"About a three months ago. They thought that they'd be able to stop it, but it spread quickly and still is. Malignant is I think what they called it." Duo carefully sat up so he could look at them all. "There's still chemo and radiation that I am going through. There's a little light at the end of the tunnel. It will at least hold off the inevitable for a while." Heero's jaw clenched, hearing his friend say this. He couldn't imagine someone that was so full of life the last time they'd all been together so ready to die now.  
  
Quatre had delegated himself to sit with Duo while the rest of the guys found motel rooms. Heero had called Sally and told her what had happened, barely able to contain himself. Wufei had done the same and the two women were on their way to visit the passing pilot. It was all so sudden and almost surreal, like it was all just a messed up dream.  
  
As Quatre watched Duo sleep, he gently pushed back some of the hair from the pale face. He jerked his hand back as some strands of hair came out in his hand, having to stifle a sob at the sight of the cherished chestnut hair falling out. This is what the chemo did and it was horrifying to him. He didn't know how long he could be strong with one of his closest friends like this.  
  
Trowa watched Quatre from the window into the room. The small blonde had been taking it hard. He'd break too soon. //How can Duo be so calm about this when the rest of us are on our last threads of sanity?// He quietly walked into the room and rested his hand on Quatre's shoulder. "You should rest." he said quietly as Quatre smiled up at him and nodded.  
  
A few days later, Heero finally got the nerve up to go in and see Duo again. The others had been taking turns talking with him. When he stepped into the room, he smiled. Duo and Wufei were playing chess. "Who's winning?" he asked in his quiet baritone. Duo grinned.  
  
"Wu's getting his arse royally stomped. 3-2," Duo peeped cheerfully. Wufei grumbled and started to put things away. He nodded to Heero as he walked by after shoving the board under the bed. Once the door was closed, Heero looked back to the smiling Duo. After a long silence, Duo spoke up. "Hey, Heero? Can I ask you something?"  
  
Heero nodded his shaggy head. "Of course Duo." Duo smiled sheepishly.  
  
"Well. Will you take me outside? I haven't been out in almost a month." he said, shyly playing with the ever thinning braid. Heero's lip quirked up into the semblance of a smile.  
  
"Sure."  
  
Later on Heero wheeled Duo back into his room and helped him back into his bed. "I still think that throwing rocks at pigeons was over doing it, Duo." Duo snickered.  
  
"But I don't like diseased little flying rats!" he said, trying to defend his actions. "Just because I missed and broke one window." Heero rolled his eyes.  
  
"Get some sleep, Duo. Quatre will be pissed at me if you're in any worse shape." Heero paused momentarily as Duo settled in. "Duo? Why are you so calm about all this?" Duo just smiled.  
  
"I'll tell you later."  
  
Weeks went by like this and Duo's health deteriorated more and more each passing day. Their nerves were shot. Duo had asked that they all come in to see him on this particular at one time. Something was up. Quatre could feel it and Heero wanted to just run away from it all.  
  
As they gathered in Duo stark white room, they fidgeted nervously. Trowa helped the aching Duo to sit up. "Thanks, Trowa." Duo looked at everyone in the room. "Loosen up guys. It's not that bad," he muttered, voice dry and cracked.  
  
"Why did you want us all here, Maxwell?" Wufei asked. He was afraid of the answer. As much as he tried to act like he hated Duo, he knew he really did enjoy the talkative American around.  
  
"Well, the doctors talked to me yesterday during radiation," he said in a tired voice. (2) He breathed in deeply, then began to speak again. "They're giving me another two weeks to live, even with the chemo and radiation therapy. Had they caught it sooner they say they might have been able to slow it more, even maybe stop it, but it had started such a while before." he said in a tranquil tone. He was way too calm about this and Wufei finally cracked.  
  
"Duo! How can you be so calm about this? Are you not afraid to die?" he managed to sputter, trying to keep his composition and failing. He hated to see his friend like this. Duo just blinked.  
  
"Wu-man, I've just accepted it. There's no reason to deny the inevitable, especially when you've got doctors pumping dozens of chemicals or blasting high radiation beams into you (3) into just to hold it off for one more day. I'm not going to lie to myself and say that I'll be just fine and live happily ever after. I'm okay with it. I've made my peace with the Almighty and I've just accepted it. You guys should too," Duo explained carefully. Quatre had lost it and was sobbing quietly into Trowa's shoulder, while Wufei looked at the ground, almost as pale as Duo. Heero too looked at the ground, but Duo smiled. "Guys, remember three years ago up in space?" he asked quietly, holding out his palm where a long scar had formed. The others looked down at their similar scars. They remembered and nodded. "Well, you guys have the love and life part covered for taking care of each other. Looks like I'll be taking death."  
  
Four sets of eyes became fogged over.  
  
A week passed, then two, and finally a third week. Duo was bed laden, and Heero hadn't been back since then. He'd locked himself in his room and Sally had been going to see Duo instead. He couldn't take it. He finally found the courage to go see his friend again for what could be the last time. He stepped cautiously into the room and Sally smiled, leaving quickly.  
  
"Hey, Heero," came a dry, cracked sound from the body on the bed in front of him. Heero had to bite back the cry that came to his throat as he saw the young man in front of him. Duo's hair was gone completely from the chemicals that were used during chemotherapy and the radiation therapy (4). "We need to talk." Heero nodded quietly. "I don't want to be buried, Heero. I don't want to be seen like this. I don't want to be remembered like this. Cremate me." Heero blinked the tears from his eyes.  
  
"Why are you telling me this? Why didn't you talk to Trowa or Quatre?" he asked, shaking his head. Duo smiled at him.  
  
"You're my best friend and I want you to take care of me after I'm gone. It sounds kind of sick, but it's true. Besides, I know you'll find a nice, peaceful place for my ashes to go. Somewhere by the ocean, Heero. That's where I want to rest forever," he said, sinking back into the bed with his eyes closed. "Have you ever been to the ocean, Heero? Not one of the simulated ones on the colonies? I know you've stopped there, but have you ever really *been* there, stopping to listen to the waves?" Heero wiped his eyes and turned to the door.  
  
"I promise I'll find you a good spot." he said quietly before going out the door, then racing out of the hospital, knocking over one doctor and two candy stripers. He made it to a park and hid himself in the bushes to do something he hadn't done in year and years. He cried.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
multiple myeloma: Cancer of the blood, muscles and bones. It usually grows on the bones and breaks them down. It's very hard to treat.  
  
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy tire a patient a lot, making them less active, although doctors try to keep their patients as active as possible.  
  
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are two of the non-operation treatments of cancer. Chemotherapy puts certain chemicals in the body by way of pill or a catheter in the body to put liquid chemicals directly into the body. Radiation therapy uses ultra violet radiation lights to try to stunt the growth of the cancer.  
  
One side affect of chemo is sometimes people lose their hair. I hated to do this to Duo, because his hair is gorgeous, but I wanted to be realistic.  
  
  
  
AD's note: I've been doing a lot of research on all of this to try and get it right. I'm not into the medical field or studying this stuff so it's been interesting to find all this stuff out. The reason I dedicated this to people that have gone through cancer or have lost someone to cancer is because a dear friend of mine has lost someone, and my grandmother had cancer. I just wanted learn more about it. 


	3. In Love, Life and Death part 3

In Love, Life and Death part 3  
  
By Anonymous Donor  
  
AD's note: Yo, Anonymous here. All the disclaimers and stuff are the same from part 1. It's sad. Poor Duo. No miracle cure or anything. Such is life. Anyway, I hope you few and loyal readers enjoy this, the last part of the. trilogy. I had an interesting time writing it with the whole needing to research the disease as to have the right symptoms and treatment and all. Onto the fic!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Wufei looked down at the ground almost blankly. His eyes skipped over to Quatre and Trowa. Trowa was doing his best to comfort the sobbing blonde. He looked at Heero and Sally. She was dabbing at her eyes, one hand on Heero's knee as a comforting presence. Heero looked about as dead as Wufei felt. He looked over at his own wife, Catherine. She was wiping her eyes with a white handkerchief. He looked back at the ground.  
  
He was gone. Forever. There was nothing they could do. He was just gone. At least Duo hadn't wanted an open casket. None of them could've handled it. It was too much as is. Wufei was there as Duo was given his last rites, something he requested. The same preacher was there now, giving the 'ashes to ashes' speech. He wasn't Catholic, so he didn't understand anything that the priest was saying. This is just what Duo wanted.  
  
Although he told everyone that he didn't want any of them to cry over it, he knew that was something impossible to give him. He wanted them to be happy that he was now at peace, finally right with himself and the world. Wufei felt hollow inside. Duo was his first true friend. He hadn't given up on the irate Chinese guy, and that's what really counted to Wufei. As he began to think about it more, the more empty he felt. He sighed shakily, feeling that unfamiliar sting in his eyes as he rested his temple on Catherine's shoulder.  
  
//Why does "God" only take the best?// he asked himself silently as a single tear leaked out onto the shoulder of Catherine's dress.  
  
Heero looked over at Wufei. He'd never seen the young man so shaken. He sighed and looked at the small stone angel marker they had as a memorial for Duo on this little plot of land. The ashes were supposed to stay there, but Heero intended to keep his promise to Duo. He'd found a spot that was perfect.  
  
That afternoon, he told the others the rest of what Duo had said, about wanting to watch the ocean for eternity. They all agreed and followed Heero- and Duo- to the spot he had picked out. It had a beautiful view. The gray, stormy waves crashed up upon the rocks, breaking at the shoreline. Off in the distance, you could see the whales migrating, spouting and singing. He could watch that every year. Heero smiled a little. The small cliff was perfect, he decided and looked to the other for approval.  
  
"This is what Duo wanted, Heero. He asked you to pick him his perfect spot. Do what you think is right," Trowa told him quietly as Quatre sniffled again. Heero nodded. Not truly knowing the proper way to spread ashes, he decided to let the salty air take his friend to where he needed to go on this grassy hill for the best view. He carefully poured the small mound of ashes in a pile on the hill, then watched the wind carry them off. After what seemed hours of watching and contemplation, Heero turned back to the others with a small smile, set the urn down behind where the small mound off ashes was, and walked away, slowly followed by the rest after they gave their own final fairwells. That night, the all felt a little warmer, as if they were not alone.  
  
**One year later to the day.*  
  
Heero steadily climbed the hill, astonished to see Wufei already there. Wufei looked at him, then back down at the ground, as if studying something very hard. As Heero finally reached the top of the cliff, he looked over Wufei's shoulder. He knew what had caught the young man's attention. A single, thorny, white rose had crept up from the earth in front of the urn where Duo's ashes had been, taking the perfect watching spot on the cliff. Heero smiled at Wufei. He hadn't even noticed Quatre and Trowa's arrival. They, too, smiled softly. Quatre sighed contently, then tugged at Trowa. Within in an hour, they had all left, leaving Heero to be the last to say goodbye once again.  
  
~*~*~*~*~End~*~*~*~*~  
  
AD's note: Yeah, I know it was short and abrupt and sorta sappy, but sue me. I'll cry you a puddle. Actually, it wasn't Heero that didn't know how you actually would spread the ashes. That would be my fault. Heh heh. Well, I hope you enjoyed that. Now to finish up the others! *runs off to research the Salem Witch Trials* Joy, of joys, I dig myself in deep! 


End file.
